Today I had my 7th lesson with my driving instructor & he really tested my patience; this is coming from someone who works with kids!

1. He takes phone calls during my lessons.
2. He even once left the car to talk to someone to book a lesson with them - NOT ON MY WATCH!
3. He huffs and puffs when I get something wrong.. I've had trouble with the clutch
4. Im not sure if this applies to ALL instructors but he drives somewhere which is 15-20 minutes away (I get that as a beginner i need to drive on quiet roads but 20 minutes!!) therefore my 2hr lesson is actually only 1hr 20 minutes if I'm lucky & he's not late like today..
5. He once told me to pull up so he could put the radio on! Douche.

If you don't want to change you could try telling him you don't think his actions are appropriate and see if that makes him change. But it sounds like he's not a good instructor.

Also you might find that him using a mobile whilst instructing you is illegal (I'm no lawyer but at least some of the laws for drivers apply to someone supervising a learner, it also depends on how he's using the phone)

(Original post by mfaxford)
If you don't want to change you could try telling him you don't think his actions are appropriate and see if that makes him change. But it sounds like he's not a good instructor.

Also you might find that him using a mobile whilst instructing you is illegal (I'm no lawyer but at least some of the laws for drivers apply to someone supervising a learner, it also depends on how he's using the phone)

(Original post by snailsareslimy) 1. Mine took phone calls on lessons but always tried to be quick. They're actually not a bad thing, they teach you to fend for yourself for a few minutes (that's essential in the test)

Yes they are a bad thing. It's illegal for an instructor or anyone who is teaching you to be on the phone whilst you are in control of the car. It comes under the same law as driving whilst using a mobile phone.

(Original post by HoldThatThought)
I live in London .. I'm sure there's closer places for where he could do my lessons?
The only stupid thing I'm thinking about is booking with a new instructor and him taking me to the same place my current instructor takes me & me seeing him there. imagine. I shouldn't care. My money at the end of the day.
I didn't really mind the phone calls until today when he was on the phone for a good 10 minutes trying to convince someone to book with him.

1. My instructor was on the phone, it shows he trusts you doesn't it? He's not going to let you drive his £6K car if he thinks your going to whammy it in the time he's on the phone, if he thinks you're crap he will be watching you like a hawk hovering over the secondary brake pedal.

2. Yep my instructor did this but added 10 minutes onto the end of the lesson, it might just be a one off if it isn't flag it up with him.

3. My instructor made a jibe that I would never pass, I took it as a bit of banter and loh and behold I passed If he huffs and puffs say something like "oh, it must be soo difficult you sitting here getting paid £20 an hour to watch me park"

4. How about you pay for 2 hours, you drive for that two hours to where ever it is your practacing or arrange to meet him at the quiet location if he's not comfortable with you driving there.

5. WHY PULL OVER TO TURN ON THE RADIO Surely he can do that when you're driving. If you don't want the radio on just say.

It's pretty normal for your first lesson to have the instructor take you to a quiet road 15 mins away. My road is quiet so I could have had my first lesson there, but c'mon, who wants their first lesson outside their house? :P So my instructor took me on a ride about 15 mins away. He did only charge me for one hour though. The advantage of this is you can have a chat with him, so you get to know each other and feel less nervous

Today I had my 7th lesson with my driving instructor & he really tested my patience
1. He takes phone calls during my lessons.
2. He even once left the car to talk to someone to book a lesson with them - NOT ON MY WATCH!
3. He huffs and puffs when I get something wrong.. I've had trouble with the clutch
4. Im not sure if this applies to ALL instructors but he drives somewhere which is 15-20 minutes away (I get that as a beginner i need to drive on quiet roads but 20 minutes!!) therefore my 2hr lesson is actually only 1hr 20 minutes if I'm lucky & he's not late like today..
5. He once told me to pull up so he could put the radio on! Douche.

1. He shouldn't be taking loads of phone calls. I don't mind mine doing it, but I'm much further along than you are - I'll probably be taking my test in a few weeks (after I'm back from holiday) - so it probably makes you feel really anxious? I wouldn't have liked it in my first few lessons.

2. That's really unprofessional. He can text or call them. He shouldn't be stopping you to talk to them.

3. That's the reason you should ditch him. Drivign instructors are like your teachers in school, yeah? They're supposed to help you, and that's what you're paying him to do.
Now, if it's something you get wrong over and over (like stalling 10+ times in a one-hour lesson) I can understand him being frustrated, but even still, he shouldn't be tutting and sighing and all that sort of business.

4. I have to drive about 10-15 minutes away to get the the area the test is done in. But we're driving on a fairly busy road to get there so it's not too bad- teaches me to deal with all the traffic trying to get past me (especially bad in NI since learners and people who've passed for less than a year can't exceed 45mph). So that isn't too bad, I think.

5. That's a bit rubbish. :/ Don't most instructors usually keep it dead quiet so you concentrate better anyway?

(Original post by Runninground)
It's pretty normal for your first lesson to have the instructor take you to a quiet road 15 mins away. My road is quiet so I could have had my first lesson there, but c'mon, who wants their first lesson outside their house? :P So my instructor took me on a ride about 15 mins away. He did only charge me for one hour though. The advantage of this is you can have a chat with him, so you get to know each other and feel less nervous

We don't really 'chat' though .. He made an effort on the first lesson, really talkative asking ME for advice!

now its like ... dead.

I'm going to ask him if there's anywhere nearer he can do the lessons .. I know quiet roads around my area.

I had a similar guy, well on the 'driving like on a 40 minute round trip' and making me drive round and round in circles for like 5 hours (not all at the same time) and he was saying dont worry if you dont feel your making progress. Some drivers deliberately try to make you have as many lessons as possible to milk you like a cash cow.

Id just cut loose. Theres tonnes of driving schools and teachers about. You may find a cheaper independant driver.

Its better go to independant as there more desperate for people so they give you better quality and cheaper rates so you 'spread the word'.

(Original post by AverageExcellence)
I had a similar guy, well on the 'driving like on a 40 minute round trip' and making me drive round and round in circles for like 5 hours (not all at the same time) and he was saying dont worry if you dont feel your making progress. Some drivers deliberately try to make you have as many lessons as possible to milk you like a cash cow.

Id just cut loose. Theres tonnes of driving schools and teachers about. You may find a cheaper independant driver.

Its better go to independant as there more desperate for people so they give you better quality and cheaper rates so you 'spread the word'.

but kick his 4ss to the kerb!

Come to think about it .. I've done 7 hours and I've been driving round and round.

Not saying I should be allowed on the M25 but I'm pretty ok.

Last lesson he told me to drive on & I spotted a car coming from the right.. Told him 'er, no - CAR!'

He doesn't need to lick my 4ss but give me some credit.

I can move off, stop, drive down a road, 3 point turn and turn corners.

What also annoys me is he panics and presses the clutch BEFORE me ... ffs!

(Original post by HoldThatThought)
Come to think about it .. I've done 7 hours and I've been driving round and round.

Not saying I should be allowed on the M25 but I'm pretty ok.

Last lesson he told me to drive on & I spotted a car coming from the right.. Told him 'er, no - CAR!'

He doesn't need to lick my 4ss but give me some credit.

I can move off, stop, drive down a road, 3 point turn and turn corners.

What also annoys me is he panics and presses the clutch BEFORE me ... ffs!

Yeah a similar thing happened on my driving test. i was pulling out of a T junction and it was clear of traffic because a red light was like in favour of me but for 1 cyclist who was like 15 meters away. But he slammed the brake on going WOAH WOAH WOAH like i was about to drive off a bridge. In any other situation i could have cleared it with ease.

(Original post by tomrw)
Yes they are a bad thing. It's illegal for an instructor or anyone who is teaching you to be on the phone whilst you are in control of the car. It comes under the same law as driving whilst using a mobile phone.